Thoughts from the Non-Sporting Breeders
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? I am a fourth- generation Conformation competitor and breeder, so I guess you can say that I was born into the sport. My family started in terriers (Scotties, Westies, and Airedales) and my parents had a MBIS Scottie, both here and in Europe, and bred Tibetan Terriers, producing top-winning dogs. I got my first Tibetan Spaniel in the late 1990s, desiring a dog that was lower mainte- nance and easier to travel with. What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep? We have bred under the name MacIain for four generations. I am proud to say that we have had great success produc- ing winning dogs in multiple breeds. While I co-own a number of dogs around the country, I currently have four dogs in my house. Which have been my most influential sires and dams? MBISS CH Ambrier’s Nothing Gets Past Zeke, ROMX; GCHP MacIain’s North Side Irish - the top-winning Tibetan Spaniel of all time. Can I talk a bit about my facilities? Where are my puppies whelped? How are they raised? I do not have a kennel facility that is separate from the house. My basement is outfitted with indoor runs, with easy access to the yard for dogs that I am raising or holding temporarily to show. Puppies are whelped in my bedroom at the foot of my bed. I use some of the Puppy Cultur e techniques, stimulating them and engaging with them daily. They stay upstairs until their eyes and ears are open, and moving them to better trafficked areas of the house. After weaning, they are moved downstairs where there is more activity. If I have dog shows on the calendar, they get to travel to shows and learn about being on the road and at shows. What is my “process” for selecting show puppies? Performance puppies? Since the Breed Standard is the guideline for the structure of the dog, conformation and performance should ideally go together. The better the structure, the better it should perform. My priority is to determine which puppies should be kept for show or placed in show homes and which should be pets. I have a wonderful group of co-breeders and a few top professional handlers whom I will have evaluate my litters. The evaluation process begins at birth, “when the puppies are still wet.” Bobby Clyde used to say, “You can see everything but teeth, tails, and testicles when they are born.” Once they are “dry,” I push off the temptation to evaluate puppies until they are eight weeks old, which is generally thought to be the moment that is the best predictor for the dog’s appear- ance as an adult. Does my breed require any special preparation for competing in Conformance? In Per- formance Events? I think that preparation, whether for Performance or Conformation, begins from the ground up. The dog must be fed high-quality food in adequate amounts to assure correct growth, weight, and coat growth. I also use some coat growth supplements to maximize coat. While this is a small breed, they still require enough exercise to main- tain their muscularity and substance. These dogs should not be feather-boned, frail, or soft. 1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? 2. What is your kennel name? How many dogs do you currently keep? 3. Which have been your most influential sires and dams? 4. Can you talk a bit about your facilities? Where are your puppies whelped? How are they raised? 5. What is your “process” for selecting show puppies? Performance puppies? 6. Does your breed require any special preparation for competing in Conformance? 7. In your opinion, is your breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern? 8. Is your breed well suited to be a family dog? Who are the best candidates to own your breed? 9. What is the biggest misconception about your breed? What is your breed’s best-kept secret? 10. As a Preservation Breeder, can you share your thoughts on the sport today? What do you think about the number of shows? How’s the judging these days? 11. In your opinion, is social media good for the sport? Is it harmful? 12. What are the biggest challenges facing the dog show community as a whole today and how can these be addressed? 13. What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the dog show community over the past decade? 14. If you could share one suggestion with judges of your breed, what would you like to say to them about your breed? 15. For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing thing you’ve ever experienced with a Non-Sporting Dog?
Marybeth Acker
MacIain Tibetan Spaniels
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2024 | 189
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